Legend of FSU's Kissing Bench holds true for some

Jan. 13, 2013

FSU has many on-campus traditions, including historic treasures such as “The Kissing Bench” located on Landis Green. FSU students Aloysius Pendergast and Ashley Smo live up to the bench’s name. / Tameka Harty/FSView

Written by

Mariel Gaetano

Staff Writer

With a new school year rolling in, students set sights for new adventure, new friendships and—for the lucky ones—new romances.

Within the realm of campus sits the famous FSU landmark known as the Kissing Bench. The granite slab seat is located near Landis Green, right across from the William Johnston Building. The spot is rumored to be where true love ties together two individuals that happen to share a kiss—or so the legend goes.

The story revolves around a man that was a Florida State University administrator, said to be one of the University’s early presidents.

“The legend says that the founder of it kissed a girl on the bench and they ended up getting married,” sophomore Elisabeth Longo said.

The Kissing Bench tale has a way of passing itself down by word of mouth through generations. The story escaped the alterations and exaggerations that come with time, and the legend acquired longevity with the same understanding just as originally presented.

“The bench and legend have been on Landis for a very long time,” sophomore Eric Morris said.

Students have been seen canoodling on the Kissing Bench for years. It is due to this seat’s smooching sessions that prompted the stone marking at the foot of the bench. The quote reads: “If this bench could talk/oh the stories it would tell/of kisses young and old/if you sit, beware the spell.”

Taking a stroll through Landis, freshman Rachel McCombs and University of Florida freshman Andrew Layton, who came to visit his fiancée, were spotted together on the Kissing Bench.

“We kissed right here on this bench,” Layton said.

Andrew added that he and Rachel are high school sweethearts.

“We’ve been together for three years,” Layton said.

Although their first kiss wasn’t on the bench, it’s almost as if the peck they did share on the legendary monument sealed the deal.

As years have passed, the legend only seems to grow stronger, and hold more truth with each romance igniting from a simple kiss.

New loungers might want to think twice about who they share a seat—and a kiss—with, in the case of the legendary Kissing Bench casting an uncontrollable spell on them. Any seat-sharing smoochers may very well stick together-whether they intend to, or not.

“Whatever you do, if you kiss anyone on that bench, make sure it’s with someone you’re happy with,” Morris said.